You asked about unemployment because I was applauding the fact that it has declined.
In Lille recently, there was a conference of industry and labour ministers during which President Chirac asked a very interesting question. He said: "Is there a third method, half way between the American way, where jobs are created very rapidly and social programs are almost nonexistent, and the European way, which is extremely rigid, where social programs are on a much larger scale, yet where job creation has been stagnant if not regressing for the last few years?"
The answer is: Canada. We talked about that with President Chirac. Canada is the third way between European rigidity, which leans more toward socialism, and the American way, which leans more toward the free market but does not adequately protect its people.
I am extremely proud to say this Canadian way, this third way in the world, is the method that the Liberal government has supported year after year for the last few generations.
You say you are surprised that the electorate appreciated the budget. I was right there campaigning, my friend; I saw the constituents and I knew, the minute the budget was brought down, that the election was won because they were reassured about pensions. Let me remind you that we have brought the Liberal Party score from 52 to 60 per cent and that the Bloc Quebecois went from 39 to 34 per cent.